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More than $31,000 raised for family of boy who triggered shooting threat lockdown in Twin Cities suburb

ORONO, Minn. -- An online fundraising campaign has raised more than $31,000 for the family of the boy who posted threats on social media last week that triggered the lockdown at Orono public schools in the western suburbs of Minneapolis-St. Paul.

“The social media post was made in frustration with a group discussion regarding school safety, without the benefit of impulse control,” according to a statement placed on the GoFundMe page. “There was no intention, nor the means, to carry out the threat.”

According to the post, the boy “is deeply broken, and the situation is dire. He is despondent, and his special needs condition prevents him from coping with his detention. He is in an immediate health crisis and needs legal representation to navigate through his circumstances and get him the care and treatment that he desperately needs.”

The money will be used to help pay “legal expenses associated with psychiatric and psychological assessment, medical expenses, lost wages, and other tangible impacts,” according to the site.